<p><LINK href="notes.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <SPAN class="big"> Look, Mom, I'm a Unicorn -- FogCon 2012</span> <span class="dateline">31.03.2012 10.30h</span></p>
<ul class="taglist">
<li class="tags">
Shapechanging
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<li class="tags">
Body
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<li class="tags">
Shifting
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</ul>
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<DIV class="intro">
Shapechangers have been beloved in stories and mythology since the dawn of the human race. The idea of shifting into another body spans a ton of questions about identity and self-perception. What are some of the best examples in fiction of shapechangers? What can do terribly wrong with shapechanging? What happens when there are no limits?
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<DIV class="panelists">
<ul>
<li>Daniel Starr (Mod.)</li>
<li>Christine Yant</li>
<li>Courtney Eckhardt</li>
<li>Guy Thomas</li>
<li>Valerie Frankel
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</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="bibliography">Bibliography</h3>
<DIV class='bibliography'>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Camouflage-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0441012523/">Haldeman, Joe. Camoflage</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shapechangers-Chronicles-Cheysuli-Bk-Book/dp/0886771404/">Robinson, Jennifer. Shapechangers</a> First of the &quot;Chroncles of the Cheysuli&quot;.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Full-Moon-Werewolf-Anthology/dp/1569757887/">Lowder, James. Curse of the Full Moon: A Werewolf Anthology</a> Includes: Martin, George R. R. The Lost Lands.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Shape-Changers-Wife-Sharon-Shinn/dp/044101061X/">Shin, Sharon. The Shape-Changer's Wife</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Wolf-Legends-Wolves-Book/dp/0345423615">Borchardt, Alice. The Silver Wolf</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Patternmaster-Octavia-E-Butler/dp/0446362816/">Butler, Octavia. Patternmaster</a> (series)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Alien-Shore-C-S-Friedman/dp/0886777992">Friedman, C.S. This Alien Shore</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glasshouse-Charles-Stross/dp/0441014038/">Stross, Charles. The Glasshouse</a> uploaded minds</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Honey-Book-Fey-Fallen/dp/1597802131">Leicht, Stina. Of Blood and Honey</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Snaps_(film)">Gingersnaps (movie)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Orphans-Tales-Night-Garden/dp/0553384031/">Valente, Catherynne M. The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Wallaby-Wallow-Jack-Kent/dp/0819305138/">Kent, Jack. The Wizard of Wallaby Wallow</a> acceptance of self, and maintaing the social order</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Faded-Sun-Trilogy-Kesrith/dp/0886778697/">Cherry, C.J. The Faded Sun Trilogy: Kesrith, Shon'jir, and Kutath</a> humans are forced to live in an alien society and are not good at it. Cherryh has cool shapeshifting stories, characters are awkward.
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<h3 id="notes">Notes</h3>
<DIV class='notes'>
<p>Why is shapeshifting cool? Possibly gaining a new perspective and experience. Changed perceptions of reality. A change of ego -- being someone else.</p>
<p>Also, peoples' bodies are always changing (e.g., especially at puberty)</p>
<p>Changing can be an aspect of exploration/self-discovery. An avoidance of responsibility. Dealing with one's own dark/primal side.</p>
<p>Loss/regaining controll of the body.</p>
<p>How absolute and how voluntary changes are affects the question of the story.</p>
<p>Uploaded mind vs. changed bobdy, internalized vs. externalized</p>
<p>The rejection of a community and entering a new one is subversive -- and this includes shapeshifters.</p>
<p>Why are there no fat vampires? They are escapist and glamourized.</p>
<p>Shapeshifting is only subversive so far when changed to charismatic animals (wolf, tiger, etc.)</p>
<p>What appears as 'us' but really is the 'other' -- is subversive as it invokes xenophobia</p>
<p>'Sexy' strangers are bad</p>
<p>But also the other self, the dark self let out.</p>
<p>Shapeshifters are role reversal. Also a class climbing metaphor.</p>
<p>Is the change the center of the story (American) or &quot;just a thing&quot; (Japan)?</p>
<p>For shapeshifters, an incompleteness in one form or another (or both/all).</p>
<p>Shifted people who become 'the other' and experience a change of identity -v- talking animals who are not of a dual nature and are good.</p>
<p>The change is costly, pain etc. Also shifter must work at it. There are (or can be) mental changes as well.</p>
<p>There's the rejection of norms vs. involuntary release of the dark side.</p>
<p>Story can also be a 'could have been' -- what if the character had turned out differently?</p>
Bittersweet tales about loss of alternate form.
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